This is an excellent opportunity for those seeking greater responsibility!!!

JOIN A GREAT FSIS TEAM!

This is an excellent opportunity for those seeking to join the next generation of leaders in a position directly involved in Compliance Investigation.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is a public health regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Our mission is to protect consumers by ensuring that the commercial supply of *meat, poultry, and egg products moving in interstate commerce or exported to other countries is safe, wholesome and correctly labeled and package.

This position is covered by the Public Health Human Resource System (PHHRS) Demonstration Project. Effective July 19, 2009, FSIS began operating under the PHHRS, a Pay Banding and Pay for Performance Demonstration Project, in which non- bargaining unit positions will be classified by career path, occupational series, and pay bands rather than the traditional General Schedule (GS) grades in the Federal Service. The AP-3 pay band is equivalent to the GS-9/11 grade levels and the AP-4 pay band is equivalent to the GS-12/13 grade levels . PHHRS will allow FSIS the flexibility to offer exceptional candidates higher salaries than most other Federal agencies. Additionally, employees will be eligible to receive an annual pay increase based upon performance. For more information on PHHRS, including information on its pay tables and how it will benefit employees, please visit PHHRS. PHHRS Website .

This position is located in the Compliance and Investigations Division (CID), Office of Program Evaluation, Enforcement, and Review (OPEER). CID investigates violations of the inspection laws; controls violative products thru detentions, civil seizures, and voluntary recalls; and helps ensure that appropriate criminal, administrative and civil sanctions are carried out. CID has a key role in FSIS' homeland security mission area including preparation, detection, prevention, protection and responses to bio-security threats in the United States. The incumbent serves as a Compliance Investigator and as such you will play a major role in assuring the safety of our nation's meat and poultry supply.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Current FSIS employees do not need to submit DD214, SF50 or perf appraisals

E-mailed resumes and/or supplemental documents cannot be accepted.

Please fax supplemental documentation to the fax # on the fax cover sheet.

DUTIES:
CID implements a nationwide compliance and investigations program in support of the FSIS public health mission. Investigations are often a collaborative effort conducted by individuals or teams across the United States. To protect the nation's food supply, CID investigators carry out critical activities including:

Educating businesses and officials about food safety and food defense;

Serve as a liaison with other federal, state, and local public health agencies and law enforcement officials.

Investigators also play a crucial role in FSIS' homeland security activities, including detecting, preventing, and responding to food tampering incidents, food smuggling, national disasters, and other threats to the food supply. CID has a substantive role in foodborne illness outbreaks by performing investigations in cooperation with other federal, state, and local public health partners. Investigators identify the vehicles of the outbreak and determine the location of suspect product. These activities may result in recalls, detentions, and/or seizures which provide for the removal of suspected product from the market place to prevent further illness and save lives.

Enforcement covers a range of criminal, civil, and administrative sanctions in which: - CID initiates enforcement through referrals to the USDA Office of General Counsel and/or OIG for prosecution, injunction, or product seizure actions by DOJ.

CID verifies compliance with settlement agreements and other case outcomes on behalf of FSIS and assists with coordination of legal actions.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Qualification Requirements:
You must meet the Specialized experience requirement for this position.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
For the Band 3 (GS-9/11 equivalent) is defined as having a knowledge of meat, poultry and egg inspection laws and regulations; the ability to monitor and verify compliance with inspection laws and regulations; ability to analyze official records to assure they are in compliance, appear to be true, correct, and unaltered; ability to recognize, resolve, or determine if further investigation is needed when there is a violation of the Meat Inspection Act, Poultry Products Inspection Act, and/or Egg Products Inspection Act. The ability to gather facts, analyze data, identify trends; and document findings.

For Band 04 (GS-12/13 equivalent) is defined as enforcement and investigative work rather than inspection activities. It includes working with enforcement actions, applying investigative methodology, documenting case files, administrative enforcement recall activities, preparing case investigation files, and working with and understanding the enforcement process. This experience must demonstrate a knowledge of meat and poultry inspection laws and regulations; the ability to monitor food product and maintain chain of custody, collect and evaluate evidence, recognize and resolve violations of the Meat Inspection Act, Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act, and/or Egg Products Inspection Act; and the ability to gather facts, analyze data and develop written reports.

EDUCATION: Education can be substituted for experience at Band 3 level. Candidates may qualify based on the successful completion of following:

1. Master's or equivalent graduate degree or

2. Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or 3. LL.B. or J.D., if related or 4. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 5. Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or 6. LL.M., if related.

See Qualification Requirements.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Applicants are evaluated in accordance with Delegated Examining Procedures using category rating. All applicants are rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position. An automated ranking system, based on the online application process is used. Before a certificate can be issued to the selecting official, the resume is reviewed carefully by an HR Specialist to assure that (a) minimum qualification requirements are met, (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions, (c) the resume addresses experience and education relevant to this position, and (d) copies of any required documents are submitted.
Your resume must thoroughly support your responses to the applicant assessment questions. High self-assessment in the applicant questions that is not supported by information in your resume may eliminate you from best-qualified status and subsequent referral to the selecting official.
If you are found to be one of the top quality candidates or are eligible for special hiring authorities and will be referred to the selecting official for job consideration, you may be asked to develop a written response to narrative/essay type questions in the second round of the application process. If this applies to you, you will be contacted by an agency representative. Please keep your records updated with your current email address.
The automated system will place applicants in categories based on their responses to the online job related assessment questions, which are based on the duties and competencies required of the position. Competencies for this position include: language, mathematics, information processing, analytical, communication, leadership, personal characteristics (i.e. integrity and professional development), technical skills and knowledge, government laws/regulations, information technology fluency, and industry awareness. The categories are qualified, well qualified, and best qualified. Best qualified is the top category. Veterans who meet qualification requirements and have adjudicated veterans preference will be placed at the top of the category they fall into based on their answers to the assessment questions; this could be one of several categories, however, non-veterans cannot be selected over veterans that are in the same category. Only candidates in the top category are referred to the selecting official, unless categories are merged. Adjudicated veterans are those who meet the requirements for preference and submit legible documentation by the closing date of the announcement. A member 4 copy of the DD-214 must be submitted, or a letter from the Veterans Administration specifying eligibility as a disabled veteran, and in either case, documents must specify an honorable discharge. For disabled veterans, the SF-15 is requested; in the absence of an SF-15, the VA letter specifying eligibility for preference and an honorable discharge is sufficient, assuming all requirements for preference are met.
To preview questions please click here .

BENEFITS:
The Federal government offers a number of exceptional benefits to its employees. For an overview of all the benefits programs please click this link.

OTHER INFORMATION:
SPECIAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS POSITION

Entitlement to the payment of relocation expenses will be determined in accordance with the provisions outlined in FSIS Directive 3820.2.

TRAVEL REQUIRED MAY VARY DEPENDING ON GEOGRAPHICAL ASSIGNMENT-UP TO 50% - How much travel is required? Varies, up to 50% in some locations. There will be some overnight travel. Applicant must have a valid driver's license.

This position requires a National Security/Critical-Sensitive clearance (with access to secret information). Therefore, as a condition of continued employment, the incumbent must successfully complete a background investigation with a favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements could lead to adverse action proceedings including a possible termination.

The full performance level of this position is AP-4. If selection is made below the AP-4 level, promotion may be made to the AP-4 level without further competition. This is dependent upon the incumbent's demonstrated performance, ability to assume additional responsibility, and ability to perform successfully at the next higher level.

Applicants from outside FSIS will be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.

All applicants tentatively selected for this position (except current FSIS employees who have successfully completed a pre-employment medical exam) will be required to complete a self- certification medical statement regarding their physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES ALL EMPLOYERS TO VERIFY THE IDENTITY AND EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY OF ALL PERSONS HIRED TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES. FSIS utilizes E-Verify to verify identity and employment eligibility by providing to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. E-Verify cannot be used to pre-screen job applicants or to re-verify current employees and may not limit or influence the choice of documents presented for use on the Form I-9. If you have concern that there has been a violation of the E-Verify program or you feel you have been discriminated during the verification process based on your national origin or citizenship status, contact the Office of Special Counsel at 1-800-255-7688 (TDD: 1-800-237-2515). For more information on E-Verify you may contact DHS at 1-888-464- 4218.

We are a qualifying employer of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information on the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program, please visit the Department of Education's website .

This position may be eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements.